The present invention relates to an electrode for detecting an electric biological signal, in particular an electrocardiographic signal, and to an electrocardiograph employing such an electrode. As is known, currently used instruments for detecting electrocardiographic signals comprise at least two external electrodes, which are placed on portions of the human body (e.g. the left and right arm) to detect electric biological signals present in the body as a result of cardiac activity.
The electrodes are substantially flat, and are normally fixed to the human body by means of straps or adhesive means on the electrodes themselves, and, to improve electrical contact between each electrode and the human body, a thin layer of conducting gel is normally applied in between. Not being applied evenly to the electrode, however, the layer of conducting gel varies in thickness and fails to provide for an optimum distance between the electrode and the human body. On certain portions of the electrode, in fact, the layer of gel may be of such a thickness as to result in contact resistance unsuited to the characteristics of an instrument for detecting electrocardiographic signals.
Moreover, fastening means of the aforementioned type fail to provide for rigidly connecting the parts in electrical contact, and permit relative movements which may result in noise in the detected electric signal, even to the extent of impairing the results of the electrocardiogram.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrode for detecting an electric biological signal, in particular an electrocardiographic signal, designed to eliminate the drawbacks of known electrodes.
According to the present invention, there is provided an electrode for detecting an electric biological signal, in particular an electrocardiographic signal, as described in claim 1.
The present invention also relates to an electrocardiograph, as described in claim 11.